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482F34AB-D10A-4E6C-831B-D7CF75B3806D58727B04-B1B5-439D-9721-1E99F81258FE77D8312D-510B-4042-B7E1-A4484BDDE70E8C8B95CD-DE2E-4655-9F43-E07E644EAC04A383BACA-6771-4CB8-BB85-A186B947BF0220D5BC07-3702-4F54-8EDA-DC8F04D65B50I have been making trees, using plastic armatures and some with sorghum that we grew last year. I used poly fiber glued to the armatures and then added ground foam and leaf flake using diluted matte medium. 

After spreading the sorghum heads, I painted with army green camo, then used the ground foam.  Not quite a pine,  but still a pretty cheap tree. 
The last photo shows a tree armature, but with Supertree branches used instead of the poly fiber, because I ran out of the fiber. I will continue using the Supertree branches because it is a lot easier than making the 15 to 20 fiber tufts for each tree. 

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I find making homemade trees to be one of the most enjoyable projects to do in creating a layout. And, the trees greatly enhance the appearance of the layout IMO.

The basic structures I use are natural and free of charge. They consist of looking for symmetrical tree branches when going for walks. Then, I do what John says he does: I use polyfiber glued on to the branches, and ground foam glued on to the polyfiber. The polyfiber and ground foam are products from Woodland Scenics or Scenic Express.

Some of my homemade trees are simply the tops of tall weeds.

Below are a few photos of my homemade trees:

20200827_005305

20200827_005252

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20200827_005152

Arnold

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Thanks for the postings and especially pix plus descriptions of what you find to use for home-made trees. I've been collecting from large bunches of grapes the "vines" they come on, dry them out on my windowsill for a few days then bag them up. I haven't quite decided what to use for flocking - I used to use lots of "dries clear" glue, a can of hair spray and different kinds of lichen-like material. They weren't very real-looking but it was a good first try. 

u can also make cheap big trees using rope as the substructure. 

001 [2)

here’s the stuff all pretty cheap

 

008 [3)

use super glue and rope plus stick to make armature.  u just keep untwisting rope and use glue to make limbs, cover with spackling

002 [2)

use cheap air filters for fiber add some foam and u got a tree on the cheap. 

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@stubbygda posted:

u can also make cheap big trees using rope as the substructure. 

001 [2)

here’s the stuff all pretty cheap

 

008 [3)

use super glue and rope plus stick to make armature.  u just keep untwisting rope and use glue to make limbs, cover with spackling

002 [2)

use cheap air filters for fiber add some foam and u got a tree on the cheap. 

Ingenious !!  Great looking tree. Curious how you worked with the air filters to create shapes.

jackiejr

i just got the super cheap air filters not the pleated ones but those that just have the mesh fiber. pull it apart in clumps and position it on the armature, spray the fiber with cheap hair spray and add the foam while sticky. i like the black filter material it just disappears under foam. 

i wish i could claim the idea but i got it off another forum from a guy who makes some amazing southern oaks using this method. 

hope that answers ur question. 

@TedW posted:

Ron045, go out and clip some now.  

You are kidding right?  Are you trying to get me killed?    You want me to go into one of my Wife's active gardens and pick something now?

Today is my 25th Wedding Anniversary.  I've learned a thing or two over 25 Years.   One being... don't mess with the gardens and ask permission only after everything is dead/dormant.  

Have Fun!

Ron

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